24 THE NIGHTINGALE. 



and Yarrell, in his Sylviadce, has also the Kobin, agreeing 

 in this arrangement with Flemming, Jenyns, and some 

 other British naturalists. The British species of Warblers 

 are somewhat numerous ; two of them are exceptions to 

 the rule, and do not migrate southward on the approach of 

 winter. All of them are birds of sober plumage, and shy, 

 hiding habits, searching for their food chiefly under trees 

 and bushes, and sometimes coming to the ground for the 

 purpose ; they are fond of soft, pulpy fruits, only occasion- 

 ally eating the smaller kinds of seeds, the husks of which are 

 not difficult to crack ; they build neat nests (generally of 

 a cup shape), lay five or six eggs, and commonly rear two 

 broods in a season. They do not migrate in large flocks, 

 like the Swallows, but in small bodies, the males preceding 

 the females several days ; they have a rapid, protracted, 

 but more undulated flight than the birds last named. 



We are astonished when we Deflect on the immense dis- 

 tances which these apparently feeble birds must traverse 

 in their migrations from country to country, notwithstand- 

 ing all that we know of the lightness of their structure 

 (the bones being porous, and partly filled with air), and of 

 the strength of the pectoral and other muscles by which 

 the flying apparatus is moved. How many thousands of 

 times must those little wings winnow the air, traversing a 

 broad ocean, and passing, as the birds often do, far in- 

 land to their places of repose. And how know these 

 feathered barks in what direction to steer for the land 

 of sunshine and plenty, towards which they are impelled ? 

 Surely there is a Providence that watches over the life of 

 the bird, and if so, shall man despond, and think himself 

 uncared for, when a Divine Teacher has told him, in refer- 

 ence to the birds, < Are ye not much better than they ? ' 



THE NIGHTINGALE (Philomela lusdnia). This bird, 

 which is placed by common consent at the head of British, 

 if not of all feathered songsters, is very plain in its plumage, 

 which is reddish brown on the upper parts, greyish brown 

 on the under, except the throat and belly, which are 

 whitish. The plumage is, however, prettily marked and 

 mottled, and the form is most elegant. In length it is 



